St Francis Private Hospital, a 140-bed facility located in Mullingar, County Westmeath, and its associated nursing home, St Clair’s, made the decision after examining the evidence from a clinical trial at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, which showed that copper surfaces such as taps, toilet seats and door pushplates can reduce microbial contamination by 90–100%.
“All healthcare facilities are acutely aware of the risks from the spread of germs and the high costs of negating them,” said Noeleen Sheridan, general manager and director of nursing at St Francis. “As it is estimated that 80% of infections are spread by touch, keeping surfaces like door handles as germ free as possible will impact on the spread of infection. Our decision to specify antimicrobial copper products is based on this conviction, and the compelling evidence from the Selly Oak clinical trial.”
Professor Tom Elliott, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust’s deputy medical director and leader of the Selly Oak copper clinical trial, believes copper could play a key role in helping to contain healthcare associated infections.
“Laboratory research has shown that MRSA and Clostridium difficile microbes die much more quickly when they come into contact with copper-based surfaces than on the usual surfaces you find in a hospital. It is an exciting development and could provide NHS Trusts with yet another means of tackling the spread of healthcare associated infections.”
Contact Copper Development Association T +44 1442 275705 F +44 1442 275716 {encode="bryony.samuel@copperdev.co.uk" title="bryony.samuel@copperdev.co.uk"} www.copperinfo.co.uk
